Nathan Mackinnon puts on his jersey after being selected No. 1 overall in Sunday's National Hockey League entry draft by the Colorado Avalanche. The draft is being held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Photograph by: Bruce Bennett
, Getty Images

NEWARK, N.J. - Like the season itself, the NHL draft was compressed. But a rich crop proved to be long on talent and familiar names.

The Colorado Avalanche were true to their word Sunday, taking stylish centre Nathan MacKinnon first overall. But the Florida Panthers sprang a surprise next, choosing Finnish centre Aleksander Barkov over defenceman Seth Jones. The top-ranked North American skater according to the NHL Central Scouting Bureau eventually went to Nashville fourth overall after Tampa took winger Jonathan Drouin.

"This a franchise-type player," Nashville GM David Poile, delighted to have a six-foot-four, 205-pound defenceman drop in his lap, said of Jones. "So I really feel good about our defence right now."

Nashville already has Shea Weber, a difference-maker on the blue-line. They lost another stud defenceman prior to this season when Ryan Suter signed with the Minnesota Wild.

The Avs, who won the draft lottery over the Florida Panthers, said they liked Jones but thought it prudent to draft a forward. Colorado wanted offence, noting that four of the five top scorers this season were No. 1 overall picks.

While the Avalanche knew who they wanted, the teams behind them thought long and hard who they wanted. It made for some early intrigue at the Prudential Center.

The draft, a one-day affair this year instead of split over two days, was a love-in for Devils fans who booed their local rivals at every turn.

As the draft ended some seven hours later, there was a moment to savour for the locals in the seventh round when 41-year-old goalie Martin Brodeur took the stage to announce New Jersey was taking his son Anthony, also a goalie, with the 208th pick.

The Devils had made an even bigger goalie splash earlier in the day when they announced the acquisition of Cory Schneider from Vancouver for the ninth overall pick.

A gracious Brodeur Sr., saying he wasn't going to play forever, thought the deal was good for the Devils. He has one year left on his contact and said he would push Schneider for playing time. But he sounded like he had seen the writing on the wall, calling Schneider a "top-five" goalie.

It was a day where the future looked bright for all 30 teams, although Poile noted that after Jones, all his other picks were prospects.

And it was a draft full of names from the past, both distant and recent.

The first round saw London Knights forward Max Domi, son of former Leafs enforcer Tie Domi, go to the Phoenix Coyotes and Windsor winger Kerby Rychel, son of former NHLer Warren Rychel, taken by Columbus. Anthony Mantha, grandson of four-time Stanley Cup champion Andre Pronovost, also went in the first round to Detroit.

Jones took his slight slip down the draft ladder with grace. But asked if it might motivate him, the Portland Winterhawk didn't miss a beat.

"Yeah, well I'm competitive, I have a competitive nature. And I get that from my parents," he said. "You definitely want to prove them wrong. You definitely want to show them why they should have picked you. That's not my only goal next year but it's definitely on my list."

Jones, 18, has ties to Colorado. He took up hockey as a kid there while his father, Popeye Jones, was playing for the Denver Nuggets.

The six-foot, 182-pound MacKinnon, who does not turn 18 until Sept. 1, is mature beyond his years on and off the ice.

Still he admitted he kind of lost it when he got on stage after being drafted by the Avs.

"I kind of blacked out for a second, but it's so cool," he said. "They have such a promising team and such good young talent, and hopefully I can be a part of that."

He led the Halifax Mooseheads to the Memorial Cup, topping the tournament in scoring with 13 points (seven goals and six assists), including a hat trick in the championship game, and was chosen tournament MVP.

"What makes Nathan stand out is that he has a real quickness with his read and react: his hockey sense, how he sees the ice and his vision," said Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting. "That is something special in a player. He is continuing to physically mature, but already he's got a lot of grit in his game and he is a competitive player."

Drouin, who was a linemate of MacKinnon with the Mooseheads, was delighted to land in Tampa.

"I think it's a good fit. They've got a young prospect, great old players, too, that are experienced, and I think it's the best fit for me."

Barkov has been playing in the Finnish Elite League since he was 16.

"I played already two years against men in the Finnish Elite League, very good league and very good players, and I think it helps me very much," said the confident Finn, whose father played hockey for Russia.

The selection of MacKinnon and Drouin marked the first time since 1983 that two players from the QMJHL were among the first three players chosen in the draft. Sylvain Turgeon went second that year to Hartford, ahead of Pat LaFontaine in third to the Islanders.

Story Tools

Nathan Mackinnon puts on his jersey after being selected No. 1 overall in Sunday's National Hockey League entry draft by the Colorado Avalanche. The draft is being held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.